Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 60218-60223 1039

15 patients were involved (10 female and 5 male). Their body weights taken
daily for 6 months.
Weight gain was recorded generally. However, male average weight gain was
5% monthly, as against female of 2.5%.
There was no significant difference in the weight gain of individual patient from
each sex group (P _ 0.001). However, a significant difference at 5% level (P
0.05) was recorded between the sexes.
The programme has gone a long way in trying to enhance the life of the
HIV/AIDS patients and thereby prolong the "shelf life" of these terminally-ill
people.
160218 Evaluation of Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO)
Resource Centre using participatory methods
Antony Kariuki Njuguna1, Allan Ragi2. 1PO Box 69866, Nairobi; 2Kenya AIDS
NGOs Consortium, Nairobi, Kenya
Issue: Use of the participatory approach to assess the effectiveness of KANCO
Resource Centre information services.
Project: In the first quarter of 1996, KANCO conducted an end of project
evaluation of its Resource Centre using participatory approach. The Centre had
operated for 30 months by the time. The Resource Centre provides information
services to AIDS service NGOs, CBOs and other institutions. The purpose of the
evaluation was to get members to contribute their views and concerns on the
services offered and make recommendations for improving reach and efficiency.
The process was designed to involve members of KANCO in as many aspects of
the evaluation as possible.
An evaluation committee made up of members was formed during a quarterly
meeting. The committee was to manage all aspects of the evaluation. Data
collection was conducted using focus groups interviews and questionnaires.
Results: 94% of members participating in the evaluation indicated that the
Resource Centre was a convinient source of HIV/AIDS information. It attributed to
the improved level of information sharing, collaboration and networking members.
Lessons Learnt: The use of participatory methods in evaluating activities at
KANCO was effective in involving all members and getting them to draw useful
recommendations.
60219 Sexuality and prevention of AIDS among students in
seven navy schools
Raquel Blanco. Los Mirlos 184 Sta Cecilia, Callao 02-Lima, Peru
Objectives: To instruct the teachers on the principles of sexual development of
students from the bio-psychosocial and affective perspectives. Besides apply,
postulates preventive actions in relation to the sexual problematic of the students
and the propagation of AIDS.
Methods: The methodology used consisted of group presentations, opinion
research audio-visual aids, interactive workshops, and drama.
433 question forms well used, 80% of the teachers were women, aged from 20
to 59; levels of education went from pre-school stage to 5th degree of secondary
school.
90% received information on AIDS massively, via booklets, conferences and
courses.
Results: Most of the students were knowledgeable on ways of transmission of
the virus, but their outstanding concern was the possibility of getting infected.
64% regarded the condom as the best preventive tool. 32% said it was not
effective and 4% did not answer the question.
72% of the teachers said they were prepared to talk on AIDS to the students.
Conclusion: The experience was rewarding, touching the sensibility of the
teachers and making the basic for a training course on "Methodology for teaching
Sexual education and AIDS prevention". Also, a Parents School was established.
The program is going on, aimed to get parents and teachers participation in
improving the sexual behavior of children and youngsters, in order to get a
responsible human sexuality, fundamental for a good personality.
60220 Psychosocial care and support difficulties facing HIV+
donors at the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC)
in Abidjan
Eugene Rayess. 22. BP. 1291, Abidjan, 22, Cdte d'lvoire
Objectives: To identify the reasons behind the problems encountered at the NBTC
(Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, CNTS) in providing psychosocial care
and support to blood donors living with HIV/AIDS.
Methodology: Registration of 600 HIV+ regular blood donors consulting at
NBTC (i.e. 60% of the patients) using a filing system to monitor access to psychosocial care and support. These report cards mostly record data on sociological,
geographical, and economic conditions; information relating to family situations
is also noted.

Results: A typological analysis for improved care and support in the near
future; a motivational tool to be used either to help affected families or train NBTC
health workers; an instrument to facilitate the social integration of PWAs (40%
of whom are employed) who currently continue to cope anonymously with their
milieu, thereby reinforcing their own sense of isolation.

60221 The female condom: Cause and effect of protection
Zena Stein1, M.A. Leeper2. 1HIV Center NY State Psychiatric Institute Unit 53,
Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY: 2Female Health
Company, Chicago, IL, USA
Background: The objective was to synthesize and summarize current and potential contributions of the female condom (contraceptive sheath) to reproductive
health, and hence to protection from HIV infection.
Methods: We reviewed published and unpublished reports and ongoing research studies, in order to assess (i) knowledge and gaps in acceptability and
accessibility, in use of the female condom; (ii) its effectiveness as a contraceptive
and a preventive barrier to STDs and HIV. (iii) the individual and social circumstances favoring its use and neglect; and (iv) requirements for training of health
workers and communities, men and women.
Results: The review categorizes studies done in many countries, with a range
of results. In no community, at this time, is use sufficient to play a significant role
in contraception or prevention of infections; in specific studies, effectiveness as a
contraceptive emerges as high, given consistent use, and is certainly comparable
to the male condom; effectiveness against STDs also emerges as comparable
to the male condom. However, the results against STDs are most significant
when the use of the female condom is seen as adding choice, thereby increasing
overall protection. Two circumstances emerge as favorable to its adoption among
couples who already are familiar with the male condom but are not using it; in
societies and among couples where communication on sexual behavior exists or
can be stimulated.
Conclusion: Use of the female condom is a stimulus towards communication
and protection. With broader availability, through family planning agencies, primary health care and STD clinics and in social marketing facilities, the female
condom can be brought to the attention of every man and woman, so that it can
contribute to the overall reduction of the HIV epidemic. Here we have an available
tool for prevention and we must use it.
S60222 The viral load is not proportional inversely to the CD4.
Report of 7 cases in a non-governmental HIV/AIDS
organization in Mexicali, Mexico
Hector Enrique Velazquez Gonzalez1, Enrique Alberto Gomez Bastidas2. 'Au.
Obregon #850 Zona Centro Mexicali BC; 2Universidad Autonoma de Baja
California, Mexicali BC, Mexico
The school of Medicine of the autonomous University of Baja california in Mexico
and tha Non-Governmental Organization, AIDS Local Center Mexicali (CELSIME)
have been helping HIV+ and AIDS patients since 1990. From a total of 200 patients, 35 were chosen at random to be evaluated in a change of treatment during
the first semester of 1997 through two immune markers, cellular count and viral
load.
From the 35 patients, 7 are female and 28 are male. They were detected
between October 1985 and May 1997, and their ages rank from 20 to 62 years
old with a median of 35.5 years old. All of them treated, previously to the study,
under plans with monoterapy (AZT); and during the evaluation chosen to be
treated with a double (AZT+DDI or 3TC) and triple plan (AZT+3TC+IND). The
first cellular count evaluation shows a CD4 range of less than 200 cells mm/3 in
23 patients with a viral load median of 123 834 Rna/ml copies and 12 patients
with more than 200 cells with a viral load median of 20 495 Rna/ml copies. From
the whole of these, 26 were treated with double plan showing a CD4 median of
100 cells and a viral load median of 42 083 Rna/ml copies. The third group was
treated with a triple plan showing no changes in their CD4/CD8 or in some cases
showing an increase above 50 cell in three months, nevertheless 90% of them
reduced their viral load from approximately.6 to 1 log showing a median of 4.1
log.
An important observation is that the viral load is not inversely proportional to
the CD4, as it could he thougth, (Following american Nomenclature: The higher
the CD4 is, the lower the vital load; or lower CD4, Higher Viral load), this situation
has been observed in 7 patients with a CD4 lower than 150 cell that is continuesly
reducing, and whose vital loads have been reduced also, fact that does not
agree with with the american nomenclature. Another observation was made in
two patients who did not receive initial treatment and that sowed viral loads higher
to 1 500 000 Rna/ml copies. They received an initial treatment with a triple plan
but died within the first month.
Quality in nutrition, individual immune response, estate of mind, probable reinfection, metabolism and interactions of medication, and access to medication;
these are the conditions that modify the evaluated response and that deserve
a thorough consideration, because the immune parameters are not sufficient to
establish general criteria for treatments, and the clinical experience shall remain
an important key for the treatment of patients.
S60223 HIV and sexually transmitted disease educational
program to incarcerated women

Sonya Gonzales1, Raul Carvajal2. 1PO Box 130661, Houston, Texas 77219;
2Project Coordinator-HCSD HIV Dept., Houston, TX, USA
Introduction: Surveillance reports indicate an increase of AIDS cases among
women, Intravenous Drug Users (IDU), and through heterosexual transmission.
The Harris County Sheriff's Department's jail is a maximum security facility located in Houston, Texas and is the third largest jail in the United States. It houses
approximately 8000 male and female inmates with as many as seventy-five per
I